Aleix Espargaró ended the Malaysian GP with a crash when he had only completed 8 laps. The Spanish rider struggled throughout the weekend with many crashes during the three days at the Sepang circuit.
The Aprilia Racing rider revealed that he wants to win this weekend and thinks that the bike will be ready to fight for the podium during the weekend.
– ‘ I’m not going to be discreet like the other riders, I want to win here and fight for the podium. In Malaysia we were very slow, but here in Qatar we’ve always been fast and we want to fight for the podium. The conditions over the weekend will change a lot and we have to be careful with that. It seems that the circuit is not yet 100% ready to go in full throttle.
Asked about the initiatives that the FIM has been doing in Qatar to promote its riders, Aleix replied: ‘The more famous we are, the better it is for them (FIM). Just look at Formula 1 and compare Fabio (Quartararo) with Norris (Lando), he’s a star here but Lando is much better known than him. The young riders have to take more initiatives and the FIM too, there must be more events with the riders and promote them, because unfortunately in MotoGP it’s not just about racing. We’re paid to do all this and I try to be more open and be closer to the fans.
Yesterday Aleix Espargaró attended an event with the new Moto2 world champion and spoke about the new sensation in the Moto2 championship who will be joining the premier class next season.
– ‘ It was one of the best days I’ve had before a GP in my career because of the way they organized the event. Pedro will leave a lot of good moments and tension on the track, but he’s a bit shy and he’s still a kid. He’s special and reminds me of some great riders from the past, and he’ll certainly be a great rider. The 2024 season is going to be incredible, with Marc on the Ducati, with the help of Yamaha and Honda and the arrival of Pedro, it will definitely be a season to remember.
Aleix Espargaró spoke briefly about his opinion so far of the calendar and his physical form so far. The rider also spoke a little about the importance of his family at this stage of his career.
– ‘ I was very worried about this calendar, but at the moment I feel good and I’m enjoying this year a lot, it’s the year I’m enjoying the most and I don’t feel the weight of the calendar. Before it was difficult for me to disconnect after the race, but not now. If I finish the race in 8th or 10th because the bike just wouldn’t go any further and the team has done everything to improve it, I can switch off and enjoy being with my family. I’m definitely enjoying being with my family a lot more this year and it’s good to find the balance in that respect.